How to extract romfs and exefs and recompile them into .3DS and .CIA files?

[JohnIsAnIdiot]

I've been trying to mod a few 3DS games, one in particular is Fire Emblem Awakening, with Mangs CMU.

I have all the necessary files.

I've used multiple different applications like HackingToolkit9DS and CTR-tool and none of them have worked properly.
CTR specifically would not open at all, even when running as administrator.

 

[anotherthing]

By CTR Tool, do you mean this?:

https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/Project_CTR_3DS

If so, what command line were you trying to use to extract the files?

 

[drag4you]

I've been trying to mod a few 3DS games, one in particular is Fire Emblem Awakening, with Mangs CMU.

I have all the necessary files.

I've used multiple different applications like HackingToolkit9DS and CTR-tool and none of them have worked properly.
CTR specifically would not open at all, even when running as administrator.

Did you install the SetupUS.exe that's inside the PackEnglishV12 -> PackHack folder? If you didn't install it, you won't be able to extract the contents of the 3ds/CIA/CXI file with the HackingToolkit9DS.exe

 

[JohnIsAnIdiot]

By CTR Tool, do you mean this?:

https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/Project_CTR_3DS

If so, what command line were you trying to use to extract the files?

Yes, the application itself just wouldn't open at all

Post automatically merged: Mar 26, 2024

Did you install the SetupUS.exe that's inside the PackEnglishV12 -> PackHack folder? If you didn't install it, you won't be able to extract the contents of the 3ds/CIA/CXI file with the HackingToolkit9DS.exe

Yes, I did.

It's able to extract and compile fine, it's just that the compiled CIAs won't install on my 3DS and on the rare chance they do, they either don't appear on the Home Menu, crash when opened, or the edits weren't applied.

 

[anotherthing]

Yes, the application itself just wouldn't open at all

It's a command line tool. You have to use the Command Prompt.

 

[JohnIsAnIdiot]

It's a command line tool. You have to use the Command Prompt.

Oh I see, I've been able to open other command line tools just fine, just kinda assumed it'd work like this

 

[anotherthing]

No, it has a lengthy list of arguments that you have to use in the command line. I honestly don't know what half the terms mean in those arguments, though, but I did manage to get a cia down to several files that ended in a bunch of 0s.

 

[JohnIsAnIdiot]

No, it has a lengthy list of arguments that you have to use in the command line. I honestly don't know what half the terms mean in those arguments, though, but I did manage to get a cia down to several files that ended in a bunch of 0s.

I see, how do I actually open ctr tool with a command?

 

[anotherthing]

In Windows, Start Menu->Accessories->Command Prompt

"cd" changes directories. "dir" gives a directory listing. To get to a specific drive, type the letter of the drive followed by a colon and hit <enter>, i.e. C: would be the default system hard drive for most configurations of Windows.

 

[Maeson]

Honestly, when I want to mod a 3ds game I use New Super Ultimate Injector's Extract/Rebuild CIA options.

First I dump my game from the cart or digital installation with gm9, And sometimes even the files I want to edit by mounting the game and copying the files I need so i check them out while the CIA is being created.

Then with NSUI I extract, then put the modded files on the right folder, and then rebuild. It's so painless compared to other processess that tend to have errors or crashes for me.

The only issue I find is that NSUI creates a cia file that is a bit less of a megabyte larger, so I don't know if I could make bps patches out of it without being large, but for personal use? Works well.

Of course, the changes I make tend to no alter the size of the files.